Radutskyi: Rada may legalize medical cannabis this year

The Verkhovna Rada in 2022 may adopt a draft law on the legalization of medical cannabis, initiated by the Cabinet of Ministers.

This was announced by Mykhailo Radutskyi, Chairperson of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on National Health, Medical Care and Medical Insurance, People's Deputy from the Servant of the People parliamentary faction, Ukrinform reports.

"The government draft law on medical cannabis legalization has already been published for discussion… This document will be registered. It will arrive at our committee. I hope that the deputies of the committee will support it," he said.

He noted that the government draft law differed from the draft proposed by members of the medical committee and sent to parliament for revision, in particular, strengthening the control of the National Police of Ukraine over the circulation of cannabis. In addition, according to Radutskyi, the wording of the document initiated by the Cabinet of Ministers more clearly defines what medical cannabis is and the procedure for its import.

The politician stressed that the adoption of the relevant legislation will give access to medications to more than two million Ukrainians.

"Again, there were many narratives in society that it was drug legalization. Neither the draft law, which was aimed at revision nor the new government, has a word about drug legalization. It's just medical cannabis," he said.

He expressed hope that the Verkhovna Rada would adopt the document in 2022.